Managing editor
“Water the lawn. That’ll make the grass grow.”
How many times have homeowners read or heard that advice?
Water is necessary for grass and all vegetation to grow but maybe not as much as we think.
Ask A.R. Gantz of Marion and he will tell homeowners they can actually over-water their lawns.
Gantz and his family moved to their home on North Cedar Street 42 years ago. Grass and trees were planted and remain today.
“When we moved here, it was a weed patch,” Gantz said.
He planted a mix of fescue and Kentucky blue grass.
One of the secrets to a healthy lawn, Gantz said, is how the lawn is mowed.
“Grass has a heavy root system,” he said, “so I never mow it shorter than 3-to-3½-inches.”
He also leaves the lawn clippings on the grass because they are fertile and help to maintain a healthy lawn.
Looking at the Gantz lawn, a person sees lush, green grass with no trace of dandelions or other weeds.
“Spraying weeds in late fall weakens weeds so they don’t make it through the winter,” Gantz said. This reduces the chance of the weeds returning in the spring.
So, how does Gantz know so much about grass and vegetation? He worked for Marion County Conservation District as a soil expert from 1950 to 1982. He also attributes much of his information to the K-State Research and Development office.
The 80-something-year-old man mows his large lawn about once a week, or more often, depending on the weather.
Even in 1980 when the area suffered from a drought and 100-plus degree days for more than month, Gantz did not water. Throughout the dry spell, he said he only lost one patch of grass in the front yard that required reseeding.
“The grass roots are probably 2 to 3 feet deep,” he said. “Even if the top soil is dry, the deeper layers of dirt are moist.”
Grass will turn brown during the summer with less moisture, Gantz said, but should bounce back as long as it has a good root system. Not mowing the grass short during the hot months keeps the grass more healthy.
Another downfall of watering too often can be the development of fungus on the vegetation.
“Fungus doesn’t grow when there are dry spells,” Gantz said. “The dry spells are good for taking care of the diseases of plants.”
Insects are not as prevalent as one might think with taller grass, he said.
It does take some getting used to when the common practice is to mow grass as short as possible.
“It took some time for my wife (Ruth) to get used to the taller grass but she’s all right with it now,” Gantz said with a smile.